Princess Cyd

"Princess Cyd" is a wonderful film in many ways. I was surprised because my expectations weren't particularly high. As a result, I'm gonna seek out more of writer/director Stephen Cone's films.

The story begins with Aunt Miranda (Rebecca Spence) attending a lecture about her books, as she'apparently a famous writer. But her dinner afterwards is interrupted by a phone call...her brother-in-law needs a break from his daughter, Cyd (Jessie Pinnick), and asks Miranda to take her in Chicago for a couple weeks. She's happy to and soon Cyd arrives. Cyd seems like a pretty normal teen and it's obvious at first that she thinks Aunt Miranda (who she hardly knows) is a dull lady...just like EVERY adult. But over time they hit it off well and Cyd learns that her aunt is a pretty cool lady...not just because of her books but because she's incredibly chill about Cyd's sexuality. Instead of being scared to discuss sex or Cyd's bisexuality, she's supportive...which is great because soon Cyd meets up with Katie (Malic White) and they fall for each other.

I noticed that the other review referred to this as a Lesbian film. Well, perhaps Katie is gay...but what makes it interesting is that Cyd is clearly bisexual...something you rarely hear about in movies. I talked with the director/writer and it turns out he's openly gay and he did seem to have a very female-positive attitude in this film. His female characters were exceptionally well written and I also appreciated how he avoided a mistake some other filmmakers make. There is a rape (or attempted rape) scene in the film and he chose to show very little and mostly imply the attack....and this is great because sometimes these scenes are just too vivid and disturbing. This could either trigger PTSD responses in some viewers OR possibly excite the prurient interest of some sick viewers...so thanks for NOT going there!

Overall, the story does an amazing amount without a lot of money or scope. Just a lot of real people acting in ways we can believe...and I really, really loved this film.

As other reviewers have said, I approached watching this film with low expectations, i.e., as one of Netflix's films that don't necessarily measure up, but boy was I wrong! Princess Cyd is one of the better films I've seen recently. I think what makes it so good is that the potential is there for it to fall into predictable, cliched material, and yet it doesn't. Rather, it is a beautifully acted and written script in which the two main characters enjoy and respect each other. The character of Aunt Miranda is so likable and admirable that she sets the standard for the whole film. We watch as she and her young niece spend time together during a summer, getting to know each other as well as themselves. I loved how not only did Cyd learn from her aunt, but her aunt learned from her, too. The film overall has a peaceful, though not boring, feeling, with many likable characters.

This is how you do a coming-of-age movie. With poignancy sans too-much-sugar, with a story grounded in how real people behave.

A beautiful gem of a story.

I don't review movies much anymore, but there were things about Princess Cyd that I wanted to make note of, in hopes that others who are '... hmm... not sure..'. might give it a chance if they come across it. It's on Netflix and I'm sure available other places too.

I've watched a lot of indie dramas through my life and rarely have I come across one that felt as satisfying as this by the closing credits. Poignant without being saccharine, intelligent without being "clever", slow but well paced. Mostly though, I was impressed at the choices made by the writer/director, and very probably the editor, to avoid dramatic cliches and over-used tropes. There's a sense of quiet subversion at work here, a sense of veering off in a new direction at the moments we've been trained to think 'Ohhh, I know exactly where this is about to go, and ohhh I wish it wasn't.' Pleasantly surprising. I don't want to give much away, let others be equally surprised.

If you like films that make you feel you haven't seen them before, that show restraint and intelligent plotting, well you could do a hell of a lot worse than Princess Cyd. I kinda loved it. 8/10 is high for me.

This was not an enjoyable film to watch, and it took a conscious effort of will to stick with it until the end.

It is by no means terrible. In fact, on the surface it should have been my kind of flick. The central teen character is struggling with her bisexual identity. I did that when I was her age. She goes to stay with her offbeat bohemian aunt who is a celebrated author, academic, and general all-round intellectual. Well, I used to stay with my offbeat bohemian grandma, who was a celebrated author, academic, and general all-round intellectual. So I should have, at least to some extent, related to this film.

But from the outset the whole movie just reeked of intellectual masturbation, of the sort frequently perpetrated by film students.

Technically it is more competent than a student film, although many of the secondary characters are played by actors who seem inexperienced and lacking technique.

The script is uneven, and way too verbose - to the point that it seems to be deliberately alienating the audience, rather than drawing them in. The direction does the same thing (no surprise since it was directed by the writer), and the first two thirds of the movie lurched from unfinished thought to unrealised idea, with jarring edits that confuse the narrative and create a near-constant state of discomfort in the viewer.

At first I wondered if the awkward and discordant storytelling was intentional, and if, perhaps, the writer-director wanted to discomfort his audience as a way of proving some deeper point. But by the end of the film I still can't figure out what that point might be.

I should have connected with the story, because of the specific parallels with my own life, and the fact that it has wider resonances with the human experience. But I wasn't able to settle into it until it was nearly over, and then, after a few good scenes, it lurched into a rushed and clunky ending.

Ultimately I can only put it down to poor filmmaking, from initial script to final edit.